Aomei Shen

MS, RN; Department of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China 

Cancer Nursing , IF: 1.844

Quality of life among Breast Cancer Survivors with Triple Negative Breast Cancer(TNBC)--Role of Hope, Self-efficacy and Social support

Aomei Shen, MS, RN; Wanmin Qiang, RN; Yuhong Chen, RN; Lei Tang, RN; Ying Wang,

Abstract

Background: TNBC survivors have worse clinical outcomes and limited treatments compared with non-TNBC survivors. Yet, little attention has been paid to the survivorship of TNBC patients in terms of quality of life (QoL).

Objective: To investigate QoL status and the influence factors of QoL among Chinese TNBC patients, especially the role of hope, self-efficacy and social support.

Methods:121 TNBC patients were recruited. Data was collected using Herth Hope Index (HHI), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Breast Cancer (FACT-B). Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests or one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analyses and multiple regression analyses were applied.

Results:Scores of FACT-B, HHI, SSRS and GSES were respectively 90.40±16.56, 36.15±6.90, 41.84±5.84 and 23.88±8.05. Multiple regression analyses indicated hope, income, cancer stage, self-efficacy, and social support as indicators, explaining 56.2% of the response variation ( P < .001).

Conclusions: QoL of TNBC patients need to be improved. Income, hope, self-efficacy and social support are positive predictors, and cancer stage are negative predictors of QoL of TNBC survivors. 

Implications for Practice: TNBC status might be an important consideration when caring for breast cancer patients and developing interventions. Demographic and clinical characteristics especially income and cancer stage, hope, self-efficacy and social support should be assessed while caring for TNBC patients. Supportive programs and interventions targeting on increasing levels of hope, self efficacy and social support should be considered. 

Key words: Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Quality of life, Hope, Self-efficacy, Social support